The Forbidden Fruit

[Chris V++]

Growing up I was taught that the 'forbidden fruit' in the Garden of Eden was allegorical and really stood for sexual intercourse and that 'original sin' was connected with intercourse.

This idea seems to persist. A company called Pom Wonderful sells pomegranate juice and suggests thru advertising that the pomegranate is an aphrodisiac and may have enticed Adam and Eve to sin.

Is there any known historical doctrine that supports this forbidden fruit interpretation or is this just something concerned mothers tell their children to give them hang- ups

 

[dreadnought]

Growing up I was taught that the 'forbidden fruit' in the Garden of Eden was allegorical and really stood for sexual intercourse and that 'original sin' was connected with intercourse.

This idea seems to persist. A company called Pom Wonderful sells pomegranate juice and suggests thru advertising that the pomegranate is an aphrodisiac and may have enticed Adam and Eve to sin.

Is there any known historical doctrine that supports this forbidden fruit interpretation or is this just something concerned mothers tell their children to give them hang- ups

We are taught later in the Bible not to engage in immoral sexual relations.

 

[JackRT]

We must keep in mind that Genesis 2 ff is an ancient Hebrew/Jewish mythology. Being their scripture, they have never interpreted it to suggest "Original Sin" or even some sort of sexual sin. Under the influence of the Greek philosophy of dualism, the Christian church in the second century lost its Jewish roots and became obsessive about sexual matters and that mistake has plagued us ever since.

 

[Floof]

I tend to think it's literal, perhaps it's about tide pods? (KIDDING, kidding!)
Ah, I think whatever fruit it was isn't present on Earth now, but that's just my interpretation.

 

[mmksparbud]

God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply---their sexual union was blessed by God. It is truly ridiculous to think that what He blessed is sinful and forbidden!!
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Sex outside of marriage is forbidden--not within marriage. Adam and Eve were given to each other by God Himself with the command to bring forth children. It's positively insane to think it was a sin!!

 

[bbbbbbb]

God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply---their sexual union was blessed by God. It is truly ridiculous to think that what He blessed is sinful and forbidden!!
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Sex outside of marriage is forbidden--not within marriage. Adam and Eve were given to each other by God Himself with the command to bring forth children. It's positively insane to think it was a sin!!

Interestingly, this is one of the multitude of heresies taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). Their version of the Fall casts God as a sadistic tyrant Who commands Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and Who creates the tree with the forbidden fruit which alone will enable to know how to be fruitful and multiply. If A&E obeyed God to be fruitful, they would need to disobey God and eat the fruit, or they could obey God and not eat, but in the process they would be disobedient by not being fruitful because they were as dumb as rocks without eating the fruit.

 

[mmksparbud]

Interestingly, this is one of the multitude of heresies taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). Their version of the Fall casts God as a sadistic tyrant Who commands Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and Who creates the tree with the forbidden fruit which alone will enable to know how to be fruitful and multiply. If A&E obeyed God to be fruitful, they would need to disobey God and eat the fruit, or they could obey God and not eat, but in the process they would be disobedient by not being fruitful because they were as dumb as rocks without eating the fruit.

They teach that if the fall had not happened, Adam and Eve would never have had children. It was the fall that allowed us to have children!! They have a secret ceremony that celebrates this--which essentially--though they vehemently deny it--celebrates Satan for he made children possible!

 

[Radagast]

Growing up I was taught that the 'forbidden fruit' in the Garden of Eden was allegorical and really stood for sexual intercourse and that 'original sin' was connected with intercourse.

Nonsense! Adam and Eve were husband and wife. Sexual intercourse was perfectly fine for them.

 

[bbbbbbb]

They teach that if the fall had not happened, Adam and Eve would never have had children. It was the fall that allowed us to have children!! They have a secret ceremony that celebrates this--which essentially--though they vehemently deny it--celebrates Satan for he made children possible!

How bizarre is that? There are a lot of solid reasons the Mormons keep their activities in their temples closed to public knowledge.

 

[Steve Petersen]

 

[Chris V++]

Interestingly, this is one of the multitude of heresies taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). Their version of the Fall casts God as a sadistic tyrant Who commands Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and Who creates the tree with the forbidden fruit which alone will enable to know how to be fruitful and multiply. If A&E obeyed God to be fruitful, they would need to disobey God and eat the fruit, or they could obey God and not eat, but in the process they would be disobedient by not being fruitful because they were as dumb as rocks without eating the fruit.

Is Mormonism the only source of this belief? I just googled this and learned it may have been an early Christian teaching:
'The idea is not new. According to historian Elaine Pagels,*“the claim that Adam and Eve’s sin was to engage in sexual intercourse” was “common among such [second-century] Christian teachers as Tatian the Syrian, who taught that the fruit of the tree of knowledge conveyed carnal knowledge.” Also, to Christendom’s Church Father Augustine of the fifth century*C.E., sin had its beginnings in sexual desire on Adam’s part. In fact, Psychology Today said “Adam’s sin was carnal knowledge.” from Christian forum site .com

In read the Wikipedia page on Titian and found no mention of Sex as the forbidden fruit, but it does say one of his writings described matrimony as an invention of the devil. Also he was celibate.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Is Mormonism the only source of this belief? I just googled this and learned it may have been an early Christian teaching:
'The idea is not new. According to historian Elaine Pagels,*“the claim that Adam and Eve’s sin was to engage in sexual intercourse” was “common among such [second-century] Christian teachers as Tatian the Syrian, who taught that the fruit of the tree of knowledge conveyed carnal knowledge.” Also, to Christendom’s Church Father Augustine of the fifth century*C.E., sin had its beginnings in sexual desire on Adam’s part. In fact, Psychology Today said “Adam’s sin was carnal knowledge.” from Christian forum site .com

In read the Wikipedia page on Titian and found no mention of Sex as the forbidden fruit, but it does say one of his writings described matrimony as an invention of the devil. Also he was celibate.

There is nothing new under the sun. Many of Mormonism's beliefs were borrowed from other traditions such as Freemasonry. The fact that people in the early history of the Church held these notions hardly means that they were considered to be orthodox Christian doctrine.

As for Titian, I do not know which Titian you have in mind. There is only one Wikipedia entry for Titian, the famed artist, who was married not once, but twice, and fathered four children - three legitimate and one illegitimate.

 

[Chris V++]

As for Titian, I do not know which Titian you have in mind

Sorry. They were talking about Tatian the Syrian, not the painter

 

[mmksparbud]

Is Mormonism the only source of this belief? I just googled this and learned it may have been an early Christian teaching:
'The idea is not new. According to historian Elaine Pagels,*“the claim that Adam and Eve’s sin was to engage in sexual intercourse” was “common among such [second-century] Christian teachers as Tatian the Syrian, who taught that the fruit of the tree of knowledge conveyed carnal knowledge.” Also, to Christendom’s Church Father Augustine of the fifth century*C.E., sin had its beginnings in sexual desire on Adam’s part. In fact, Psychology Today said “Adam’s sin was carnal knowledge.” from Christian forum site .com

In read the Wikipedia page on Titian and found no mention of Sex as the forbidden fruit, but it does say one of his writings described matrimony as an invention of the devil. Also he was celibate.

It was, from what I remember, a Catholic believe. Why, I have no idea. Bible is pretty clear that Adam and Eve's sin was eating of the fruit of the tree that they were not supposed to eat from.

 

[Major1]

Growing up I was taught that the 'forbidden fruit' in the Garden of Eden was allegorical and really stood for sexual intercourse and that 'original sin' was connected with intercourse.

This idea seems to persist. A company called Pom Wonderful sells pomegranate juice and suggests thru advertising that the pomegranate is an aphrodisiac and may have enticed Adam and Eve to sin.

Is there any known historical doctrine that supports this forbidden fruit interpretation or is this just something concerned mothers tell their children to give them hang- ups

Adam and Eve were married by God and told to populate the earth.

Genesis 1:28...........
"And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Now......Did God say that.
Can God lie?

 

[Major1]

Is Mormonism the only source of this belief? I just googled this and learned it may have been an early Christian teaching:
'The idea is not new. According to historian Elaine Pagels,*“the claim that Adam and Eve’s sin was to engage in sexual intercourse” was “common among such [second-century] Christian teachers as Tatian the Syrian, who taught that the fruit of the tree of knowledge conveyed carnal knowledge.” Also, to Christendom’s Church Father Augustine of the fifth century*C.E., sin had its beginnings in sexual desire on Adam’s part. In fact, Psychology Today said “Adam’s sin was carnal knowledge.” from Christian forum site .com

In read the Wikipedia page on Titian and found no mention of Sex as the forbidden fruit, but it does say one of his writings described matrimony as an invention of the devil. Also he was celibate.

My dear friend. Have you ever read Genesis, first book in the Bible, chapter 2?
I encourage you to read the actual Bible more and internet web sites less.

Genesis 1 says in sentences (verses) 16 & 17........
"the LORD God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'"

Now there it is! God saying NOTHING about Adam and Eve NOT HAVING SEX. He in fact commanded them to have children!!!! READ THE BOOK!

Adam and Eve one day listened to Satan (disguised as a serpent) who lied to them and told them: "'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'"

Satan told Adam and Eve a lie. He contradicted God's Word and said it was okay to eat from the forbidden tree.

The sin of Adam and Eve was disobeying God and doing what they wanted...instead of listening to God. They listened to Satan and their own reasoning, thinking God was keeping something wonderful from them, which He was not. And that's just like all of us. We think we know better than God. We think God is restricting us, keeping something from us, and we have a better way. Just like Adam and Eve, we are tempted to choose to believe Satan rather than believe God.

 

[Major1]

How bizarre is that? There are a lot of solid reasons the Mormons keep their activities in their temples closed to public knowledge.

That is because the more you learn about them, the more concerned you grow for you.

 

[JackRT]

Genesis 1 says in sentences (verses) 16 & 17........
"the LORD God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'"

In actual fact Genesis 1:16 And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

The two creation stories were actually written several centuries apart.

 

[Chris V++]

My dear friend. Have you ever read Genesis, first book in the Bible, chapter 2?
I encourage you to read the actual Bible more and internet web sites less.

Thanks Major. I do read and check the bible. I don't actually subscribe to the 'forbidden fruit giving carnal knowledge' doctrine myself. The point of the thread was to try to discover where that doctrine originated and why it persists today since the Bible clearly states they were to 'be fruitful and multiply."

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Growing up I was taught that the 'forbidden fruit' in the Garden of Eden was allegorical and really stood for sexual intercourse and that 'original sin' was connected with intercourse.

That makes no sense for when God gave to Adam Eve he knew they were going to have sex and children.

I believe that God considered them married as soon as he put them together?

M-Bob